Incubator



Oct. 23, 1934. J. c. BOHMKER 1,977,905

INCUBATOR Filed Dec. 1, 19 32 2 Sheets-Sheet l U67? John 6. 50/7/77 r Oct. 23, 1934. J c, BOHMKER INCUBATOR Filed Dec. 1, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 23, 1934 3.1 I 3. ll

-.UNITED .STATES f PATENT- OFFICE x-n91asos- V John (,fk -Boh inker, Kankakeetlllk I ernlicatioa beiiibei 1,1932; Serial no. 645,211 I 1 f' f joiaimi"[(dl.119 -37 This invention'relates to eggjhatching equip;- ffold function: (a) that of cooling the motor, ment of the class described in applicahtsPatentand (b) that of taking t he chill off the air, thus No.;1,893,694; on 'Incubators,-'issued JanuarylO, aiding the efficiency oioperation. Dry and wet 1933,'and affords improved means for" the regue' bulb thermometers are mounted uponthe inside 5-llation of the moisture content of the air which jof-the door of-the incubator, and the door is pro- 60 is circulated-throughout the egg traycompart -vided witha glass covered sight openingand' ment of the'incubatorl I means for illuminating the thermometers'."

The purposes of-the invention areto provide- Aside-from'the above mentioned features of this for exact control of the temperature and humidconstruction," the apparatus employed;;is{ quite n ity of theair used in the process of incubation similar *in' general arrangement-and heatregu-' 65 and to afford convenient means for varying this lating means to well known equipment except" condition as required during the successive stages that the trays are non-uniformly spaced, as deof incubation, and to provide for a constant intermined experimentally, for causing a uniform flux of fresh air. distribution of air and consequently a balanced These objects are accomplished by means of a temperature throughout the entire egg space of 7th.;

construction such as illustrated in the drawings the machine. The trays are also preferably each in which: provided with a screen cover so that the device Figure 1 is a longitudinal section in elevation is suitable for custom hatching without any likeof the incubator taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2. lihood of a chick which is hatched from a batch of Fig. 2 shows the incubator in front elevation eggs in one tray making its way to another tray. 75;

and partly in section. By reference to the drawings it may be seen Temperature regulation of the air used in the that the incubator consists of a rectangular cabprocess of incubation, and the control of the relinet 1 provided with a hinged door 2 closing the ative humidity of such air, are each most imporopening through which the trays 3 are passed.

mm factors in the development of healthy and The trays are slidable along angle bars 4 car- 80 large chicks. Proper development can not take ried by the uprights 5. These uprights are spaced place when the air is dry and stagnant, and if the inwardly from the side walls by supporting air is too moist for the correct rate of evaporabrackets 6. 7 tion from the egg the chicks are likely to be The cabinet door is of wood lined with fibrous strangled by breathing in water at the time of insulating sheets 7 and an inner lining of sheet 85 breaking through the membrane which extends metal 8. The metallic upri 5 also Carry 1 across one end of the egg and allows air to enter ports 9 for the water receptacle 10. This rethe tissue-like sac enclosing the chick, and which ceptacle may be substantially closed by the pair is broken just before hatching. of hinged lids 11, each covering one-half of the 1 "In the electrically heated incubator herein derecepta and hinged at 12 to its e At their 9 scribed, regulation of humidity is attained by the i adj edges 13 the lids rest p a use of a water receptacle located above the tier curved cam element 14 hinged to the bottom of of egg trays and between the egg trays and the the receptacle at 15. This cam may be rocked heating element where it will shield the eggs by 011 it p v for the P p Of adjusting e s 40,intercepting heat waves radiating from the heatupwardly around the pivots and thus propor- 9r? ing elements. The water receptacle is also 10- t e y permitting Circulation O a r in o concated in a horizontal air current produced by motact with the inner surface of the water in the tor driven circulators mounted at one side of the r epta l water receptacle. The circulating fans 16 are supported on the 1; .The rate of evaporation of water in the rerear wall of the cabinet in position to direct air 10ml?- ceptacle is controlled by an adjustable covering currents horizontally over and under the remeans for the receptacle which controls the flow ceptacle 10, and also over and under the heating of air over the surface of the water. elements 27. It may be seen that with the lids Also bearing upon the subject of humidity regin the angular position shown in Fig. 2, some of ulation is the arrangement of air inlets and outthe air set in motion by the fans will pass under- 1W lets in the walls of the incubator, the position neath the lids and some will pass over the lids, and sizes of which have been determined by exand the relative how in this manner may be properiment with the particular apparatus herein portioned by adjustment of cam 14. This cam illustrated. All air entering the incubator must may be manually adjusted by the slide bar 17 .pass over the motor, thereby performing a twowhich extends through an aperture in the front 11G The condition of the air is indicated bythe wet" and dry bulb thermometers 22 and 23 supported on the inner surface of door 2. These thermom eters may be observed through the sight opening-=- 24 and are illuminated by an under the control of push button electric lamp 25- cabinet top wall 28 above the water receptacle 10 but also in the path of movement of'air flow from fans. 16. Thetheating elmnentsthus-serve,

to heat the air, butlthe water receptacle 10 shields the egg traysfrorri. radiant heat emitted by the; v

heaters. Theheaters are intermittently voperated ,under the control of an: expansion bellows type thermostat 29also mounted on door 2 and ads;

J'ustable as'usual bythefturn buttonBO;

Each egg. tray -is provided ,with' a removable screen cover 31, themurposeof, which is t o prewith'those another-tray,

vent hatched chicks 'from onetraygetting gmixed switches." Eleol trio heating elements 27 areL-.,supported iby-% the In the use of the incubator the operation of fans 16 and temperature regulation is the same as usual in this type of incubator, but the air condition, with reference to humidity, may be closely regulated according to the condition of entering air and the extent of recirculation by means of an adjustment of cam operating rod 17 to bring the wet bulb reading to the required P n y o Although ..but one. specific .er'nbodiment of this invention has been herein shown and described,

it"is tobe understood that details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined"- by the following claim:

lt fii l il An incubator comprisinga cabinet having a verticaltirbf eggtrays; an electric heating ele- -rnent,. suspended from the top of said cabinet, a

water receptacle positioned below said heating element, andabpve said tray s -,me ansyfor proell nea erz k'flowa ite ween id heatr.

8; e ement-a dhe QnvQ a d'-. ah e ,.b tw n d-W t? e nqta.e aand eat l m n an wee sei ywa s ee pta e ndz h i n e o t Y fiQEQ'Y QQH o s ie. a regulate the proportion of flowing; air which con 

